County government · Burke County, GA

Burke County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Burke County took in $90.6 million and spent $80.4 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

County taxes82%Fines and other6.7%Fees for services (garbage collection, transit fares)6.6%State tax money2.1%Federal tax money1.8%Local tax money0.9%

What stands out

16%

of Burke County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of under 50,000 people gets 1.6%.

County taxes82%

Property tax
63%$57.3 million
Sales tax
16%$14.6 million
Other taxes
2.4%$2.2 million
What's in other taxesInsurance premium taxes; other licenses and 4 more
  • Insurance premium taxes$1.4 million
  • Other licenses$639 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$76 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$63 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$41 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$8 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.6%

Fees for services
6.6%$6.0 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 2 more
  • Other service charges$5.0 million
  • Garbage collection$400 thousand
  • Transit fares$375 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$231 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.8%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
1.8%$1.7 million

State tax money2.1%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
2.1%$1.9 million

Local tax money0.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.9%$820 thousand

Fines and other6.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$5.2 million
Fines
1.0%$916 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails40%Sent to other local governments16%Roads, transit and parking13%Health and hospitals12%Running the government and other costs12%All other spending7.2%

What stands out

16%

of Burke County's spending goes to local governments.Most U.S. counties of under 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
40%$31.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 3 more
  • Fire protection$13.6 million
  • Police$9.5 million
  • Prisons and jails$4.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$3.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$266 thousand
Sent to other local governments
16%$12.7 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$12.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
13%$10.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$10.6 million
Health and hospitals
12%$9.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$9.9 million
Running the government and other costs
12%$9.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$4.9 million
  • Government buildings$2.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.7%$3.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.3 million
  • Libraries$723 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
2.9%$2.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.4 million
Environment and natural resources
0.5%$401 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$401 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$34 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$34 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Burke County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of Burke County itself. Other governments that serve the same area (the city, county, school district and state) are separate and not included. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, and pension trust funds are not counted as revenue.